What I Wore (Or It's National Hamburger Day)

Yellow Tank: Already had (Old Navy, bought last summer)
Gray and White Skirt: $9 (Lauren Conrad for Kohl's)
Snake-print sandals: Already had (Old Navy, bought last summer)

I realized, looking at this photo, that I don't have my wedding rings on! I took them off to make hamburger patties and forgot to put them back on!

Speaking of hamburger patties, supposedly today was National Hamburger Day. There are some holidays which I feel morally obligated to celebrate. National Hamburger Day is one of them.

Linked up to The Pleated Poppy

How I Made Brown Sugar Pound Cake

 This recipe was originally featured The Taste of The South's Southern Cakes Magazine, and I found it at Lady Behind the Curtain. I am giving the recipe here, since I made a few modifications. The original recipe is made in a 12-cup Bundt pan, but I knew that my little family would never finish a cake that large; and that means that I would feel OBLIGATED to eat it all, since I hate to waste. And we all know that eating an entire huge pound cake alone is no bueno for the waistline.

I cut the recipe in half and baked it in a loaf pan; I also left out the toffee bits that were called for because my hubs does not like toffee (I know...so, so weird!!!).

Ingredients:
3/4 cup softened butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup chopped pecans

1 recipe Caramel Drizzle (find the recipe here)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Spray a 8x8 loaf pan with nonstick baking spray with flour.  Set aside.

Beat the butter until creamy.  Add sugars, beating until fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt.  Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture in thirds, alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture.  Beat until just combined.  Stir in pecans.  Spoon batter into prepared pan.  Bake until a wood pick inserted near the center of cake comes out clean (mine was ready in 70 minutes).  TIP:  Cover the top with foil to prevent excess browning is necessary.  Let cake cool in pan for 10 minutes.  Remove from pan, and let cool completely on a wire rack.  Spoon Caramel Drizzle over cooled cake. 

Even though I cut the recipe in half, I still made an entire batch of the Caramel Drizzle. :) Look. You can never, never have too much caramel....I used a little over half on the cake, and set the rest aside to use as ice cream topping. Yum, yum, yum.

What I Wore (Or Trying out a Circle Skirt)

Lace tank: $3 (Thrifted, Mudd)
Chambray circle skirt: $6.99 (The Body Central)
Shoes: $5.99 (Versona)
Belt: Already had

Linked up to The Pleated Poppy

What I Wore To Mom's Night Out (Or Mixing Brights, Part Deux)

I had an outfit on that I thought was pretty cute...black lbd, denim shirt tied up, lace tights, cowboy boots....but my hubby told me that it was drab and honestly, not terribly flattering. Now, before you think that he was being rude, I just want to say that I truly appreciated his honesty. So I pulled out this outfit and he said, "Yes! Now that's more 'you!' You and color go together!" So I went with it.

Top: Already had (bought last summer, Old Navy)
Coral skimmers: $7 (Jennifer Lopez for Kohls)
Nude platform sandals ($4, Lauren Conrad for Kohls)

Linked up to The Pleated Poppy

What I Wore (Or Mixing Brights)

Top: $17 (JC Penney)
Jeans: $25 (Old Navy)
Sandals: gift (F21)
Purse: gift (Factory Girl)
Hat: $5 (Kohls)

Linked up to The Pleated Poppy

What I Wore to Church

 

Gray peplum top: $3.97 (JC Penney)

Belt: came with another top (I think? I've had it so long that I can't quite remember!)

Pants: $10 (NY&Co)

Black platform sandals: Already had (Target)

Linked up to WIWW at The Pleated Poppy

How I Became Obsessed with Cilantro Salad

Ever wonder why you enjoy dining out so much more than dining in? Well, aside from the obvious...not having to cook, clean up, etc. :) I'll be honest, it's the clean-up that I dread every stinkin' time.

Restaurants just seem to add that little extra SOMETHING that kicks your experience up to the next level, though, don't they? And if they don't, you don't go back there. At least, I don't...my time and money are too hard to come by to waste on a mediocre experience, to my way of thinking.

Our favorite Mexican restaurant in town JUST DOES IT. Everything is just right, somehow. My go-to menu item is the Brisket Tacos. They are so fresh and fantastic that just the thought of them makes me mouth water. Yep, it's watering right now.  They serve them with this fresh cilantro salad on the side, and let me tell you....that cilantro salad makes that dish.

So a couple of weeks ago, I was making pulled chicken tacos, and thought I'd try my hand at the salad. I'm calling it a "salad" because I'm not sure what else to call it! It's not exactly a salsa, I don't think. Well, it turned out amazing. So amazing that I have made chicken tacos and steak tacos multiples times since then, just so I could make this salad to go with it.

And of course I just had to share it with you. It's so easy that it almost seems silly to brag on it, but I'm going to anyway.

Cilantro Salad
Equal parts cilantro and chopped onion
Juice of one lime

I put the three ingredients into my Ninja and just let it whirl for a bit.

The brightness of the cilantro and lime just make the tacos so tasty and fresh.

Ooooooooh, I'll bet it would be so good on enchiladas, too! And maybe tostadas...or baked chimis...

Linked up to Watch Out, Martha!

What I Wore On My Day Off

Dress: $6 (Thrifted, Target)
Jacket: Hand me down
Sandals: Gift (F21)

I am standing next to one of my new favorite thrifty finds...a bottlebrush tree! We bought it last year on clearance at Lowe's, not really knowing what it was, and planted it. It bloomed this year, and we just absolutely love it! LOVE it!

I really, really enjoy flower gardening (aren't flowers one of nature's anti-depressants, truly?), but flower gardening in Texas and flower gardening in the Midwest are two totally different experiences. It has taken me a good while to figure some of it out, but I think I'm finally getting the hang of it!

Linked up to WIWW at The Pleated Poppy